Lake Clark
Volcanoes, turquoise lakes, coastal bears and Dick Proenneke's handmade cabin
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, all year
- Entry
- Free entry
- Reservations
- Not required
- Size
- 4,030,015 acres
Lake Clark Weather Now
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Lake Clark protects about four million acres where the Alaska Range meets the Aleutian Range, including two active volcanoes, Redoubt and Iliamna, glaciers, and the 40-mile-long Lake Clark itself. The park was proclaimed a national monument in 1978 and became a national park and preserve in 1980. Its rivers feed the sockeye salmon runs of Bristol Bay, among the largest in the world. Redoubt last erupted in 2009, sending ash across Cook Inlet.
There are no roads, so every trip starts with a small plane, usually to Port Alsworth on the lake or to the Cook Inlet coast. From there you can hike to Tanalian Falls, paddle turquoise lakes such as Turquoise and Twin Lakes, or fly out to watch brown bears on the coastal meadows. The park is also known for Richard Proenneke, who built a cabin with hand tools at Upper Twin Lake and filmed his life there. It is one of the least visited national parks, so solitude is easy to find.
The park and surrounding area
- Park boundary
- Other parks
- Major highway
- Road
- Rivers and lakes
- Town
Plan your trip
- Best time to go
- June through mid-September brings open lodges, regular flights and the best bear viewing, with fall color in late August and September.
- How long to stay
- Plan at least two to three nights, plus a spare day for weather delays.
- Getting there
- Air taxis fly from Anchorage (ANC) to Port Alsworth in about 1 to 1.5 hours, and from Homer (HOM) or Kenai (ENA) to the coast for bear viewing in under an hour.
- Wildlife
- Look for brown and black bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep, wolves, bald eagles, sockeye salmon and, on the coast, sea otters and seals.
Plan and book
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Where to stay
Tours and activities
- Guided tours on Viator (opens in a new tab)Day trips, wildlife, photography
- Tours on GetYourGuide (opens in a new tab)Compare options and reviews
- Campsites on Recreation.gov (opens in a new tab)Official federal booking site
What to pack for Lake Clark
- Rain jacket and rain pantsCoastal and lake weather changes fast and is often wet.
- Knee-high rubber bootsCoastal bear viewing means walking on wet beaches and tidal flats.
- Bear-resistant food containerNeeded to store food safely when camping in bear country.
- Insect head netMosquitoes and biting flies are thick in summer.
- BinocularsBears, moose and Dall sheep are often far away.
A first day, start to finish
- Flight to Port Alsworth
- Visitor center stop
- Tanalian Falls hike
- Kontrashibuna Lake overlook
- Floatplane to Proenneke's cabin
Don't miss
- Richard Proenneke's cabinThe log cabin Dick Proenneke built by hand at Upper Twin Lake starting in 1968, where he lived for about 30 years, reached by floatplane.
- Silver Salmon CreekA coastal meadow and beach on Cook Inlet where brown bears graze on sedges in early summer and fish for salmon later, a popular day trip by plane from Homer.
- Chinitna BayWide tidal flats below steep peaks where bears dig clams and graze, another top coastal bear-viewing spot.
- Tanalian FallsA trail of about 2 miles each way from Port Alsworth through spruce and birch forest to a roaring waterfall, with Kontrashibuna Lake beyond.
- Redoubt and Iliamna volcanoesTwo active volcanoes over 10,000 feet tall that rise from the Chigmit Mountains, best seen on a flightseeing trip.
Know before you go
Do
- Pack extra food and a flexible schedule, since weather can hold your plane for days.
- Store food in a bear-resistant container and keep a clean camp.
- Look left, right and up before crossing the Port Alsworth airstrips.
Don't
- Expect stores, restaurants or road access; Port Alsworth has no grocery store.
- Approach bears on the coast, even when they seem calm and used to people.
- Enter or disturb private land, which is common around Port Alsworth and the coast.
The park and preserve are open 24 hours a day, year-round, but visitor services are limited from Labor Day through Memorial Day. The Port Alsworth Visitor Center is open 9 am to 4:30 pm daily in summer and closed September 17, 2026 through May 22, 2027; winter visitors can stop at the field headquarters next door. Access is by small plane or boat only, with ski planes in winter when conditions allow.
Watch Alone in the Wilderness before you go, then visit Proenneke's cabin in summer when a ranger is usually on site.Trekker's tip